Booking Policy

The Calgary Folk Club produces 13 concerts. The season runs from September to November, and January to April, running every other Friday evening. As the largest Folk Club in Canada, we are inundated with requests for bookings (an average of 1000 per year for 26 spots). Please note we are a completely volunteer run organization.

We appreciate how challenging it is for musicians to book gigs. Please note the following:

Look at our previous seasons for an idea of our artistic scope to see if there is a "fit".

We typically source our program at international, national and regional functions (such as the North American Folk Alliance, music conferences and festivals).

We are a large venue and book artists with established careers - and credentils such as Juno or CFMA nominations/awards, ECMA or Western Canada Music awards, The majority of our artists are Canadian, however we welcome international artists with equivalent credentials. We mostly book artists through established professional agents or managers.

Generally our bookings are completed a year in advance of the following fall/winter season.

Should you be performing in the Calgary area, send an invitation and we will do our best to attend.

If your style and calibre of music fits, send an email to Suze Casey including your contact information, website and electronic press kit.

We will contact you if we are considering you for a booking. As much as we would like to personally acknowledge each request, the sheer volume, and the fact that we are volunteers makes this impractical.

Please do not send unsolicited materials. We appreciate your willingness to send one, however we will request additional promotional materials if we need them.

Please do not contact our Artistic Director directly unless you are already contracted by The Calgary Folk Club for a performance date.

For contacts and information for Folk friendly venues in the area, please go to http://calfolk.ca

Processors:

Microphones:

Shure SM58

Shure SM57

AKG c1000s

AKG c451

Sennheisser MD 421

Radial Pro direct boxes

The Calgary Folk Club employs professional sound engineers for both our FoH and Monitors. We appreciate some artists travel with their own sound engineers, and we are happy to work collaboratively and co-operatively with these individuals knowing that their expertise is the band's requirements. Our sound engineers have expertise with our system, our venue and our audience. Both sets of expertise contribute to an excellent show, which is the goal for all. In the case of any disputes over the sound, The Calgary Folk Club sound engineers will do the show, at the discretion and direction of the Artistic Director of The Calgary Folk Club. In addition, The Calgary Folk Club maintains a list of sound engineers who are not welcome to work our room, and respectfully request the name, in advance, of any sound engineer traveling with a contracted artist.

Hotel / Car

Vehicle Rental:

Hotel Information:

Reservations:

The number of rooms specified in your contract under your names, We have guaranteed arrival by 6pm. Please notify the hotel directly if you will be arriving later. You will be asked for your Credit Card on arrival to cover all incidentals. Following your performance at The Calgary Folk Club, we will provide you with a cash payout in the amount as specified by your contract. You may use the cash to pay the bill on checkout, or use your own Credit Card; either way this allows you to claim the hotel room cost as an expense. Should you require additional days in Calgary, we are happy to extend our corporate rate to you. Hotel has been instructed to only accept reservations and changes to confirmations from John Robertson.

Product Shipping

Please let John know what you have sent so he can inform you of the product arrival. If sending from outside of Canada, please allow additional time for the product to clear customs.

Calgary Folk Club provides Product Sales for you – we provide the float as well as two volunteers to staff the sales table. Sales are during the break and at the end of the evening. We do not charge any commissions, and your full sale amount will be given to you in cash, 30 minutes following the show.

Meals:

Your dinner (night of show) and Breakfast (next morning) are covered by Calgary Folk Club. Breakfast at The Holiday Inn Express is included in your room cost. Please request voucher if the hotel neglects to give you one upon your arrival. For dinner, we can arrange a take out meal to be delivered to the club immediately following your sound check. Or, eat when you would like to, and bring the receipt to the Club for a cash reimbursement, up to $25/band member.

Drinks and food at the Club:

Your rider will be followed as closely as possible. There is a full bar at the Club, and your drink orders will be brought to the dressing room. In addition, light snacks are available throughout the evening at the club, and we will provide an “after performance” snack and drinks for you as well. Drinks and snacks are complimentary for the artists. We ask that your guests purchase their own.

Guests:

We have 4 (four) guest passes available per show per band. Local Folk Club ADs and Media already have a guest pass. Please contact John with the names of your guests. We have a 14 and over welcome policy; however anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Payment:

You will receive your performance fee by cheque or money order in Canadian Funds. Other currencies are available by request – please let John know 7 days prior if you need any arrangements other than those in your contract. In addition to your performance fee, Calgary Folk Club will reimburse you for Vehicle Rental, Hotels and Meals by cash following your performance. This allows you to claim these expenses as part of your touring grant or for income tax purposes.

Non-resident Waiver:

Waiver Information for Non-Residents of Canada:
The Artist is responsible for the completion and filing of the Regulation 105 Waiver Application (waiver or reduction of withholding tax on fees for services provided in Canada). The required form is located on the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/r105/README.html.

Failure to complete these documents and obtain waiver means The Calgary Folk Club must, by law, withhold 15% of the fee. Please note this information is also included on your contract.

Other Folk Clubs:

Please note we do have an Exclusivity Clause as part of our contract. We are open to other performances – we ask that you clear additional performances within a 100km radius of Calgary with our Artistic Director, Suze Casey to insure no duplication of audience and fair performance fees and ticket prices.